Bound
by bonesys
Summary: A series of Kyoraku Shunsui/Ukitake Jushiro-centric drabbles.
1. Chapter 1

The first time Kyoraku Shunsui met Ukitake Jushiro, it was an utterly unremarkable day.

When he said as such to his friends on that particular day, at that particular time, they had vehemently disagreed.

"You're going to be personally trained by Shigekuni Yamamoto!" Hitoshi had cried. "Aren't you happy? Only you and a few other people are being allowed such an honor!"

He wasn't really all that happy about it. Quite frankly, he was more than content to float on through his easy classes with as little effort as possible. His grades were fine, so there was really no need to change things, and yet the old man had _insisted_ that he be held to higher standards. No matter how much he protested, Yama- _jii_ hadn't taken no for an answer.

"He's gonna make you so strong, Kyoraku!" Said Katsumi.

Sure, maybe, but Kyoraku wasn't all that interested in gaining immense power in the first place. He found fighting to be utterly useless, under most circumstances. It was something that people used as a problem-solving method far too often. It was an excuse, if anything. An excuse to avoid actually working things out.

But he'd given up trying to get out of it. Yama- _jii_ had made a decision, and there wasn't a thing he could do.

As he approached the gates to the training hall for the first time, a feeling of dread washed over him.

This was gonna be hell.

He forced the frown off of his lips as he pressed the doors open, revealing a large dojo with a few students littered about. He noted that more than a few of them were pressed into a tight circle, but he couldn't quite catch who was in the middle of it. Someone quite popular, he supposed. Unconcerned, however, he found a nice space against a nearby wall to lean against. Sooner or later Yama- _jii_ would make his entrance, and training would begin.

He hoped it would be over quickly.

As soon as the elder man entered the dojo, all the students immediately lined up and bowed, some even welcoming him verbally. Shunsui lined up along with them, giving a half-hearted bow that barely reached past his chest. It wasn't to be disrespectful or anything, he just couldn't find it in him to pretend to be excited about all of this.

Introductions were given - not that they were necessary - and the students were quickly split up into groups of two. Sparring first, Yama- _jii_ had announced, using bokken. Shunsui supposed it wasn't such a bad plan as it gave the old man a chance to properly observe his new students. Plus, there was no better way to get to know someone than to fight them.

Yamamoto paired up individuals and Shunsui found himself one of the last to be given a partner. His sparring mate, at least for this go around, was a white-haired student with black eyebrows and a friendly smile. He had been quick to shake Shunsui's hand and introduce himself, and his good manners paired with his friendly disposition made the dark-skinned man wonder if perhaps _he_ had been at the circle of all the students before. He seemed nice enough to be that popular.

"My name is Jushiro Ukitake," he greeted. Shunsui noted that his shake was firm and controlled. From just the brief connection he could feel the other's _reiatsu_ pulsing steadily beneath the surface.

"Shunsui Kyoraku," he greeted in return, a relaxed smile gracing his lips. This guy seemed nice enough - maybe he could convince him to go easy, at least for today.

"Begin!" He heard Yama- _jii's_ commanding voice boom from the front of the dojo.

Taking a few steps back, Kyoraku faced his opponent. They both bowed before drawing their bokken and pointing them at each other. Looking as relaxed as ever, Shunsui asked,

"Hey, do you mind just taking it easy for today? I figure it's the first day and all, there's really no harm in going slow, right?"

His request brought a smile to Ukitake's face; a strange reaction which immediately churned Shunsui's gut. He was, without a doubt, going to say no.

"I'm afraid not. I think you and I both know that Yamamoto- _sensei_ is watching us closely today, and I want to make a good impression. Don't you as well?"

Shunsui shrugged, "I guess so."

His answer caused Ukitake's smile to change. It never left his face, but he seemed suddenly more... _concerned._ Pitying him, perhaps.

"You don't really want to be here, do you?"

Kyoraku was surprised that the man could see through him so easily. Then again, he wasn't exactly making a huge effort to conceal his emotions, either. Perhaps, he supposed, he should try harder next time.

"I'd rather take it easy," he admitted with a small shrug.

He felt a bit embarrassed to admit such a thing - odd, since he normally had no shame whatsoever. Maybe Ukitake's personality was rubbing off on him a bit, even if they'd only known each other for a few minutes.

"I'll tell you what, Kyoraku- _san._ Let's give it our all in sparring today and it might just end quickly."

He had a challenging smirk that Shunsui couldn't resist. His grip on his sword tightened ever so slightly.

"Those sound like fightin' words, Ukitake- _kun,_ " Kyoraku teased. "But, hey, it would be rude to back down from a challenge like that. I guess I can give it a go, just this once."

Their wooden swords clashed only moments after the end of their exchange. Despite his opponent being such a skinny guy, Shunsui was finding himself quickly being pushed back by Ukitake, but he wouldn't let the pale man take control so easily. Summoning his strength, he pressed harder against his peer's bokken, pushing him back just enough to break free from the deadlock and swing again, this time with a vertical strike.

Ukitake was clearly taken by surprise by Kyoraku's effort, but the realization that the man really was giving it his all only deepened the smile on his face. He blocked the vertical strike with ease and was quick to press against Shunsui's bokken, which slowly fell to the side, unable to hold ground against Ukitake's strength.

Jushiro attacked first, his sword immediately swinging towards the opening on Kyoraku's other side. Kyoraku, however, was more than ready, and his counter was something Jushiro hadn't expected.

He dropped one of his hands, leaving his bokken gripped in just his left. Had he kept the sword held in both hands, surely Ukitake would have landed a hit, but the speed the shaggy-haired man gained by using only one hand was more than enough to counter.

Ukitake could barely detect a difference in strength.

Shunsui smirked, knowing he had taken his partner by surprise. Faster than Ukitake could track, he switched hands once again, swinging towards the thin student's open side. The sword hit home with a subtle _crack!_

The noise was small, but Shunsui couldn't hide a cringe nonetheless. He hadn't been able to fully control himself and the hit was bound to leave a bruise _at least_ , especially on his skinny, pale partner.

"Damnit, I hurt you, huh?"

Ukitake only laughed. "Not at all! Your fighting style is incredible. Kyoraku- _san._ I'm glad we were paired up together. Shall we continue?"

 _What a nice guy,_ Kyoraku mused. _He's gotta be in some serious pain right now, but he's acting like he doesn't have a care in the world. He must really not want me to feel bad._

"Alright, I guess so. I'll try not to hit you so hard this time, promise."

Ukitake merely chuckled.

So they went at it again, Shunsui immediately using only one hand to wield his bokken. Ukitake was slowly growing accustomed to his partner's fighting style, and Shunsui found himself having to invent new tricks to try and get around the man's defenses.

What surprised him the most was when one of Ukitake's hands suddenly fell away from his sword. His right hand now wielding the heavy weapon, his attacks lost little of their strength and gained speed significantly.

A huge smile broke out onto Shunsui's face. Even if this wasn't Ukitake's regular style of fighting, he was clearly already fairly adept at it.

He was actually having a pretty fun time.

The fun came to an end when Shunsui felt a sharp _rap_ on the back of his head. He knew immediately what it was - Yama- _jii._ He silently prepared for a scolding.

"If you two are in the business of inventing new sword techniques, perhaps you find the traditional way of fighting too boring," the elder suggested.

"Of course not, master, we just-"

"Enough! Come with me, you two."

Yamamoto lead them both to the center of the room. Simultaneously, all of the fights around them suddenly came to an end as the students began to surround the three.

"Take hold of your swords," the man instructed. Kyoraku and Ukitake obeyed, both looking rather uncertain.

"The techniques I teach you here are not just basic fundamentals. They are skills that will be used to defeat your enemies - and to eliminate hollows. They are vital- allow me to demonstrate."

He looked to Shunsui and Jushiro, raising his cane.

"Come."

The young men looked at each other, sharing a worried glance. They both knew they didn't hold a candle to the master's strength, but disobeying him would only bring further punishment.

Kyoraku was the first to run forward, bokken now held in both hands. He swung at the older man, who promptly stepped to the side. Before he could turn to strike again, he found himself being knocked in the back by the end of Yama- _jii's_ cane. He tumbled to the ground and turned just in time to see Ukitake being met with a similar fate.

The white-haired man fell beside him, prompting Shunsui to offer him a weary smile. It was calmly returned, though Ukitake's eyebrows were rather tightly knit.

The rest of the training session passed, thankfully, with few other incidents. Shunsui and Jushiro made sure to keep both hands on their swords as much as possible, though if Shunsui had released his right hand a few times, Jushiro had made no note of it.

Shunsui could still feel the pain of Yama- _jii's_ cane as the sunset filtered through the dojo's windows and training was called to an end.

He and Jushiro had scattered then, but as he exited the dojo he saw the familiar locks of white hair heading down a path opposite the rest of the students.

Running to catch up, Shunsui called out, "Ukitake- _kun!_ "

White hair spun around to reveal an almost equally white face, and the lips that rested there quickly curled up into a smile.

"Kyoraku _-san._ Are you headed into town as well?" His voice had a breathy tone that Shunsui immediately noticed hadn't been there before. He had seemed fine before, but was something wrong now? What could it be?

He put it out of his mind for the time being. Ukitake was a grown man who could take care of himself.

Shunsui nodded slowly. "Yep. Gonna go out drinking with some buddies."

"Drinking, this early in the week?"

"Yeah. Not heavy drinking or anything, but a coupl'a the guys thought it would be nice to celebrate me getting into Yama- _jii's_ class, so I figured why not?"

"Speaking of our _sensei,_ are you alright? That hit from his cane looked pretty painful- well, both of them did."

Shunsui chuckled. "Yeah, it's fine. I'm used to the old man beatin' up on me. What about you? It looked like he knocked you pretty good in the chest back there."

Jushiro shook his head, a breathy chuckle escaping him. "No, no, I'm alright. He was going easy on us."

He couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, but it still hurt like hell."

Though neither asked or even mentioned it, they both fell into step with one-another, walking side by side toward the town. They walked in relative silence until a bar, familiar only to Shunsui, came into view.

"Well, this is my stop," Shunsui announced, halting and turning to his companion.

"Have a safe night, Kyoraku- _san._ " Ukitake offered him a friendly smile, though Shunsui barely noticed it beyond the man's now strikingly pale face. It was definitely paler than before, he thought.

"Please, call me Shunsui."

"Alright, then, but only if you call me Jushiro."

They smiled at each other.

"Shunsui- _san._ "

"Jushiro- _kun._ "

"Good night."

"G'night."


	2. Chapter 2

_I'd like to take a second to thank everyone for the reviews and favorites. They are very much appreciated! I hope you all enjoy this new chapter._

* * *

"Shunsui- _kun,_ will you come with me into town tomorrow?"

The question caught Shunsui by surprise, his head turning rather quickly towards Jushiro to reflect the emotion. The white-haired man paid it no mind, however, as his gaze was fixated upon the huge book in front of him. They had been studying at the time of Jushiro's sudden question - or rather, _Jushiro_ had been studying. Shunsui had been doing anything _but._

"Go with you into town? What for?"

"Well, truthfully, I…" Ukitake trailed off.

"Truthfully what? C'mon, Jushiro."

"I want to buy candy," Jushiro said. If he was trying to channel Shunsui's inner "I-don't-care" attitude, he was failing. Shunsui himself couldn't help but snicker at his apparent embarrassment, but he recovered quickly. If his friend was really that embarrassed about it, he wouldn't push it any further. At least, he wouldn't push it right then. Later was another time altogether.

"Sure, why not? Do you have a place in mind to go to?"

"Yes!" Jushiro nodded quickly, happy that Shunsui hadn't made much of a fuss about it. The last thing he needed was for his friend to bug him about his sweet tooth. "It's in one of the poorer Rukon districts, but the candy they make there is fantastic."

"It's a deal, then."

The two fell silent after Shunsui's confirmation. Jushiro returned to reading the large book sitting open on his lap, and his dark-haired companion felt content to lean against him, eyes shut in an attempt to avoid any sort of learning.

The next day came and went on uneventfully, leaving Shunsui quite ready to head out into the Rukon district. When his final class was over, he nearly ran out of it as fast as he could. The only thing keeping him from doing so was the idea that he might accidentally miss Jushiro in his rush. Instead, he contented himself with walking as fast as he could manage.

Before he could even get halfway down the hallway, a thin hand dropped onto his shoulder, effectively halting Shunsui in his speed-walk.

"Listen, Shunsui- _kun_. I know classes are done for you, but I've got one more before my day is over. I'll come meet you at your room, alright?" As Kyoraku turned to face his friend, he caught the man's apologetic smile. Shunsui frowned in return. Was he really gonna have to wait another hour just to go? It would be like an eternity!

"I have a better idea," he announced with a coy smile and a wave of his hands. Immediately, Jushiro fixed him with a skeptical look. He was no stranger to Kyoraku Shunsui's _ideas._

"Now, now, Jushiro. Before you give me that look, let me explain myself. I'm just thinking - you're a pretty good student, right? Don't answer that, we both know that you are. Anyway, so you're a pretty good student, and your next class is only an extra thing you took for fun. _So,_ it wouldn't hurt that much for you to miss it, right? And the professors never mind when you miss class, so it won't be a big deal!"

"Shunsui- _kun,_ I can't just-"

"Jushiro. C'mon, buddy, live a little! You barely go out as it is, for reasons I can't comprehend, and I know you're looking forward to this. Let's just _go._ "

"Shunsui- _kun,_ I have to go to class. It's wrong for me to skip it just because I know I can get away with it."

"But think about it, Jushiro. The sooner we leave, the sooner we can buy some _delicious_ candy. Konpeito, senbei, manju, dango…"

Jushiro was practically salivating as he went on and Shunsui smiled victoriously. He'd gotten him, hook, line, and sinker.

The pale man finally breathed a relenting sigh. "I-I suppose just _once_ couldn't hurt…"

Shunsui grinned devilishly. "That's more like it."

As they began walking out of the academy, Jushiro hung his head. "I can't believe I let you sucker me into this, Shunsui- _kun._ "

Shunsui chuckled. "Aw, c'mon. You and I both know that you're excited."

Another sigh. "I-I suppose, but…"

"But nothing! C'mon, Jushiro, stop worrying so much! We're gonna go out into the Rukon district and have a great time, so relax. Missing one class isn't gonna kill ya."

"Alright, alright." The paler of the two smiled, a smile which had long since grown familiar to Shunsui. He rather liked it. "I'll try to stop worrying."

"That's my Jushiro!" Shunsui exclaimed, throwing an arm around the man.

" _Your_ Jushiro? I wasn't aware that owning souls was legal."

Shunsui only laughed and pulled him closer. His gait became awkward as he found it rather difficult to walk whilst leaning against another, but neither man felt particularly inclined to change their current situation.

It wasn't a long walk from the Shin'o Academy to the Rukongai, but from there to the particular district with the particular candy shop Jushiro had in mind, it was quite a distance. Shunsui, largely out of restlessness, had been counting down the minutes. It was nearly an hour before they finally arrived at the tiny wooden store.

Jushiro immediately entered, Shunsui following closely behind him. The large wooden doors creaked as they were slid open, revealing a small shanty filled with all sorts of different candies. Shunsui stared at the wares in amazement - he could only name maybe half of the candies in the entire shop.

"Ukitake- _kun,_ welcome back! You haven't come in here since you entered the academy! What took you so long? There's nothing wrong, is there?"

The voice belonged to an elderly woman who was stooped behind a counter just beside the entrance of the store. Her long, grey hair was tied into a bun that sat neatly atop her head. Shunsui could tell immediately that she was very kind, and yet…

The way Jushiro's reiatsu bristled at her final question had him somewhat confused. He knew that his friend was a very proud man, but did he dislike his wellbeing being questioned that much? It didn't seem like that big of a deal, at least not to Shunsui.

Still, his friend's outer appearance reflected nothing of what Shunsui knew he was feeling on the inside. Jushiro offered a kind, friendly smile to the woman. Clearly they were old friends, Shunsui thought.

"I'm sorry, Kimura _-san._ I didn't mean to take so long to come back, but I've been very caught up in my studies." Jushiro rubbed the back of his neck, looking rather intensely apologetic.

"And who's this friend of yours here, Ukitake- _kun_?"

"Oh, yes! This man is Kyoraku Shunsui, a fellow student and friend of mine. I asked him to come with me today. Shunsui- _kun,_ this is Kimura Chiyo- _san._ "

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Kimura- _san._ " Shunsui greeted smoothly, a small bow accompanying his words.

"My, my, what a handsome and polite gentleman! Well, you should definitely bring this one around with you more often, Ukitake- _kun_!" Kimura- _san_ let out a bark of laughter.

"Anyway, I'll stop bothering you so you can get your shopping done. Go on, dear." The gray-haired woman waved them off and quickly turned her attention elsewhere, leaving them no choice but to peruse the store. Shunsui certainly wasn't complaining - he was excited to see everything the store had to offer.

"So, do you know what you want?" Shunsui asked as he glanced around the store.

"Yes," his companion answered assuredly. Jushiro grabbed more than a few bags from the counter and began filling them full of dozens of different kinds of candy. Shunsui, meanwhile, was content to examine the store's wares until his friend was finished.

When the pale man tapped him on the shoulder and he turned to face the him, his eyebrows shot up. His white-haired compatriot was holding at least ten different bags, and though they were small, they were all filled to the brim.

"Damn, Jushiro. What're you stocking up for?"

Jushiro only chuckled and walked past him towards the counter. He was quick to pay and say his goodbyes, and before Shunsui knew it they were back out into the streets of Rukongai. His friend turned a swift left onto the road, causing him to speak up.

"Wait a sec, Jushiro. We came from the other way, remember?"

"I remember," Jushiro answered simply.

Curiously, Shunsui fell into pace with him. Where were they going? They took but a few more steps and he found his question being suddenly answered.

A little girl flew from her home and ran up to them both, a huge smile breaking out onto her face as soon as her eyes met Ukitake's.

"Ukitake- _san!_ Everyone, Ukitake- _san_ is here!"

In an instant, the pitter-patter of bare little feet filled Shunsui's ears as children swarmed them.

"Welcome back, Ukitake- _san_!" "Did you learn a lot?" "Did you get strong?" "Who's this guy?" "Is he your friend?" "Did you bring us candy?" "Will you play with us!?"

"Now, now." Despite not having any hands with which to motion to them, and despite his voice hardly being raised, Ukitake instantly calmed the children down. "I brought everyone a little something."

The children surrounded them further. Some held their hands out expectantly, others simply waited, staring at Jushiro with wide eyes. They paid Shunsui no mind now that Ukitake- _san_ had promised them treats.

"Akiko- _chan,_ Hanako- _chan,_ Jirou- _kun…_ " Ukitake called out the names of the individual children, placing a bag of candy in each of their hands as he did so. Shunsui was rather impressed that he was able to remember all of their names - there were just so _many._

It didn't take long for Jushiro to end up empty-handed. The children immediately opened their bags and began munching on the candy as Jushiro opened his mouth to speak.

"Children, this is my friend Kyoraku Shunsui. I wanted him to meet all of you, so I brought him along with me."

"Hello, Shunsui- _san_!" A little girl greeted. "My name is Inari!"

"Nice to meet you, Inari- _chan_ ," Shunsui greeted with a kind smile. "I wonder, how did you meet Jushiro? You guys seem to know each other well."

The girl scratched her chin. "I dunno, we've just...kinda always known him. He's like our big brother! He's been there for us ever since we came here!"

Shunsui shot a look at Ukitake, who smiled embarrassedly and scratched the back of his head. Quite frankly, Shunsui was surprised that his friend had never told him about this. Then again, Ukitake was pretty quiet about his private life, even with Shunsui. They'd probably spent more time with each other than Shunsui had with his own family, and yet...he was starting to realize that he knew very little about the man.

"I wanted it to be a surprise," Jushiro said, smiling. He couldn't help but smile in return. It seemed that, little by little, Jushiro was finally opening up to him.

"Play with us, Shunsui- _san_! We want to play a game!" A little boy demanded, approaching him and tugging on the end of his uniform.

"A game? Well...sure, why not? What do you guys want to play?"

The children all grinned. "I bet you don't know how to play," the little boy said. "I bet we'll win!"

Shunsui grinned in return. "Oh, I think you'll find that I know how to play just about every game in the book. And I'm pretty good at 'em, too."

"Daruma- _san_ ga koronda!" Inari suddenly announced. " _Daruma-san ga koronda!_ " The children echoed.

"I know that one," he said, still smiling. "Who's gonna be it?"

"You, duh!"

With that, all of the kids suddenly ran away from him. Now that they were at a distance, he could properly count them. _One, two, three...eleven total._ It was a rather large number to be playing _the Daruma doll fell over,_ but he wouldn't bother trying to explain that to the kids. If that's what they wanted to play, then he would play it with them.

He looked over to Jushiro, who smiled as he sat down on the ground to watch them play together.

"Have fun," said his friend with a wave.

So they played. They played long into the evening, a few of the children even managing to drag Ukitake into the fun. Kyoraku wasn't sure exactly when it happened, but he certainly hadn't complained. They were all enjoying themselves, especially Jushiro.

Even as the sun set, they played on, but Shunsui and Jushiro both could see that the children were growing weary. Jushiro silently looked to his friend, his expression just as tired as those of the children they were playing with.

"I think...I think our day may be coming to an end, Shunsui- _kun._ "

"I can't tell who's more exhausted - the kids, or you."

Jushiro chuckled. "I think it's time we all rested."

"Aw, but I was having fun," Shunsui whined. The other children took note of their quiet conversation and quickly crowded in front of them. Curious eyes bored into their own.

"What're you guys talking about, huh? Super secrets?" Shunsui couldn't recall the name of the boy asking, but he knew the kid had been winning at nearly every game thus far. He was a feisty one, alright.

"Nah. We were just thinkin' that it's getting pretty late, and we should probably head back to the academy soon."

Before Shunsui could even finish speaking, the children began to protest loudly.

"No, you can't go! We haven't played _Hanaichimonme_ yet! Ukitake- _san,_ don't let him go!"

"We both have to go, young ones." Ukitake smiled sadly. "I'm sorry. I'll visit again as soon as I can, I promise, but it's getting late. You all need to go to bed, and, well...so do we." He chuckled softly, but the kids were less than amused.

"Tell you what," Kyoraku began. "Jushiro and I will start coming out here _at least_ once a month, alright? We'll bring you guys candy and all that, too. Does that sound good?"

His promise certainly brightened the children's moods. "Only if you swear!"

"I swear," Shunsui said before looking to Jushiro. His promise would certainly hold a lot more meaning than Shunsui's own.

"I swear as well. We will come back once every month, if not more often."

The children looked around at one another before finally nodding. The two older men smiled down at them.

"Alright, then. We'll see you guys soon."

Goodbyes were said and hugs were given. A few tears were shed, and the two friends headed off once again down the beaten dirt road.

They walked, Shunsui leaning upon Jushiro just as much as the other did to him. They were both pretty exhausted, but he knew that they probably didn't need to be holding each other up. Still...it was nice.

"Man, today was one hell of a day, Jushiro...you should'a told me that I was gonna have to deal with a gaggle of children beforehand. I would've at least had a cup of tea this morning."

His white-haired companion chuckled softly. "Yes, I know. But it was a nice surprise, wasn't it?"

Shunsui nodded, his gaze slowly fixating upon his sleepy companion. The way Jushiro's short, unkempt, white hair glimmered in the setting sun…

He shook his head. Now was _not_ the time for those sorts of thoughts.

"Yeah, that was a pretty nice reprieve. Now let's get goin', Jushiro."

"Yes. Let's go get some rest, Shunsui."

"Shunsui, huh? Just Shunsui?" He grinned over at Jushiro.

"Is- Is that alright?"

"Yeah," Shunsui's smile softened. "Yeah, that's great."


	3. Chapter 3

I would like to briefly thank wenduo for having left a review of both of my previous chapters thus far, and I'd also like to extend those thanks to all the others who have given me feedback on these stories. I very much appreciate it! Reviews are what keep my tiny hands a'typin'.

* * *

The acquiring of an _asauchi -_ a nameless zanpakuto - was a prestigious thing. This, Yamamoto had drilled into both of their heads. He had droned on and on about how they were his most promising young students and how they were certainly going to be incredible shinigami someday. The most Shunsui was concerned about was trying out his new weapon. Jushiro was quite wrapped up in ol' Yama's speech, but he was more than ready to run out into the training fields and give it a try.

"You two are dismissed," rumbled the deep voice of Shigekuni Yamamoto. Shunsui's head shot up - he hadn't been paying a lick of attention until that moment.

"Freedom!" Shunsui shouted the moment they exited the room.

"He can still hear you, Shunsui. Especially with you shouting so loud." Jushiro chuckled. He was used to his friend's antics, and therefore unconcerned about any consequences they might bring about.

"Shit- Right-" Shunsui stooped over, leaning closely towards Jushiro as if to whisper something, and the white-haired man bent his ear towards his friend.

"Freedom!" He shouted once again, even louder than the first time. Jushiro grimaced, immediately pressing a hand to his now aching ear.

"You're awfully excited," he muttered.

"Sure," Shunsui said with a shrug. "I mean, this is a pretty big deal and all. Plus, it's finally something new to do."

"Maybe this will manage to keep your attention for more than five minutes, hm?"

"No promises," Shunsui chuckled. "Hey, y'know what? Let's go out into the fields and train tomorrow. I can't wait to use this thing."

Jushiro let out a soft hum. It probably wasn't the best idea, since they'd hardly even learned how to use them, but he couldn't deny that he was eager to try out his own weapon as well.

"Alright, tomorrow, then. Can we meet before classes? I have some things to do later in the day."

"Ugh, Jushiro," Shunsui whined. "You just love making me get up early, don't you?"

"You'll survive," his pale friend chuckled. "And like I said, there are things I have to do after classes. If you want to train together, it'll have to be before."

"Fine," Shunsui relented, running a hand through his shaggy hair to scratch the back of his head. "I guess we'll meet up in the morning, then…"

Jushiro gave him a consoling pat on the shoulder. "I look forward to it. Until then, Shunsui."

The next morning was utterly awful. Waking up even earlier than usual was bad enough, but having to drag himself all the way out to the training fields while simultaneously trying to wake himself up and, well, look somewhat _alive_ was even worse. At the very least, he could hope that some of Jushiro's energy would wash off onto him. His friend was always cheerfully energetic, even early in the morning. He smiled, thinking of the man's happy expression.

The smile fell from his face when he finally caught sight of his friend. He was- He was _nothing_ like himself. Jushiro was even paler than usual, and the sheen of sweat that glimmered on his brow was also unusual. The fact that he was sitting on the ground was significantly more concerning, so much so that Shunsui found himself rushing towards his friend.

"Jushiro! Hey, are you okay? You don't look so great, buddy!"

"Oh...Shunsui. Don't worry, I'm alright. It's just the early hour, I'm sure you understand."

Shunsui kept frowning. That was an utter lie, and they both knew it. Jushiro's voice was thin and scratchy, even moreso than usual. His voice was so quiet that he had barely heard the lie slip from his friend's lips.

"Jushiro, I don't wanna fight you if you're sick or something. We can always wait."

"No. No, I'm fine, Shunsui. Really, I promise, I'm fine. I just didn't sleep well."

Shunsui still doubted the man, but it was clear that he was determined to spar with him. Why, though? He knew that Jushiro was smart enough to avoid a fight if he needed to, so why was he so hell-bent on sparring just this one time? Were zanpakuto that big of a deal to him?

No...that couldn't be it, either. That wasn't like him at all.

"Are you sure? We really don't have to do this."

"Shunsui, I'm sure." Jushiro smiled as he stood, facing his friend. "I've already told you, I'm fine. So, shall we?"

"If- If you're sure, I guess."

He was nervous, but he slowly drew his zanpakuto. Jushiro did the same, looking slightly more energetic now that they were about to duel. Immediately, the tension between them was palpable. Both were ready to strike - it was only a matter of who would do it first.

Still, worry for his friend lingered in the back of Shunsui's mind. He would try to take it easy today.

Jushiro ended up being the first to strike. Both hands gripping tightly to his zanpakuto, he brought the sword down upon his opponent. Shunsui was quick to block his attack, and they both ended up in deadlock.

Again, his ailing friend was the first to make a move. He raised his sword again and swung it at Shunsui, but the dark-skinned man was ready for his next move. He tilted his sword to the right, effectively cutting off Jushiro's swing. Jushiro, in turn, attacked from the other side. They continued on like this for some time, swinging and blocking, swinging and blocking, over and over again, until finally Shunsui decided it was time for a change.

He allowed Jushiro to swing at him again. Their swords met, and Shunsui pressed hard against his friend, pushing him back ever so slightly. The one step he took backwards was Shunsui's opportunity, and he used it. He quickly swept his leg beneath Jushiro's feet, effectively slamming his friend to the ground. A triumphant smile spread across his lips.

...Until intense coughing suddenly ravaged his friend. His expression then quickly turned to one of utter fear and concern.

He was immediately by Jushiro's side, sitting the man up with as much care as he could manage.

"I'm so sorry, Jushiro. This was a horrible idea, I never should'a let you spar with me."

"It's not- It's not your fault," he managed out. "I was a fool. I knew better than to spar today, but I refused to back down. I'm…"

He broke out into another fit of coughs, leaning heavily against Shunsui now. He could tell that his friend was getting worse by the moment - he had to do something, and quickly.

"Hush, Jushiro. It's fine. I'll kick your ass later for this, but for now, let's get you to the infirmary, okay?"

"No, no...don't. Please, Shunsui, don't. I'll be fine, so please don't."

"Jushiro, you're hacking up a lung here. I can't just leave you be."

"The last place I want to be in is the infirmary. Please, I…"

Again, his friend broke out into a horrid coughing fit. Shunsui pulled him closer, confused and fearful. He didn't know what was happening, but he didn't dare move the man while he was coughing. He could only rub gentle circles into Jushiro's back and pray that the spell would end soon. As if granting his wish, the hacking slowly abated, and Jushiro pulled away from him. His friend's movements were slow, but at the very least, he was moving.

Seeing Jushiro's face, however, Shunsui found himself again growing afraid. There was blood everywhere, covering Jushiro's mouth and chin, some of it even soaked into his uniform and covered his hands. Shunsui realized it was painted upon his own uniform just as well as Jushiro's.

"H-Holy shit, Jushiro! We've gotta get you to infirmary, look at all of that blood…"

The pale man tried desperately to refuse, but he could hardly seem to form words. Blood continued to pour from his mouth.

"Yeah...c'mon." Carefully, he lifted Jushiro up, hooking an arm underneath him for added support. "I've got you, buddy. Let's get goin'."

"Sh-Shunsui-" Jushiro didn't have even a moment to get a word in edgewise before his friend cut him off.

"-Unless you're about to thank me for being such a great friend, I don't wanna hear it."

"B-But Shunsui, I…"

"Jushiro, I know I'm making jokes and all, but I'm secretly kinda pissed about all this, and maybe kinda terrified. We'll talk later, okay? For now, let's just keep you from getting any more blood on your uniform."

They were both silent for the rest of the arduous trek. By the time they reached the infirmary, which was thankfully close to the training grounds, Jushiro was exhausted nearly to the point of unconsciousness. Shunsui wasn't faring so well himself, having had to practically carry his friend the whole way there.

"Just a few more steps, Jushiro," he mumbled.

Nearly the moment they entered the infirmary, different attendants surrounded them. In seconds Ukitake was taken from his arms, and though he was still worried, he knew it was for the best.

He would see his friend soon.

Shunsui, in the meantime, decided to take a seat in the infirmary hallway, just outside of the room he had seen them drag Ukitake into. He'd gotten a few strange looks from various patients and nurses, but nothing was going to move him. He would leave when Jushiro did.

It was some hours before a tall woman with long, dark hair opened the room's door. She looked down at Shunsui, a kind smile on her face. He noticed immediately that she was wearing an academy uniform.

"Uh…?" Shunsui wasn't sure what to say, but thankfully the unfamiliar woman spoke first.

"You're his friend, aren't you? Ah...Shunsui, was it? He was mumbling your name over and over again. I should have known that you would be waiting out here."

She stepped out of the room and held the door open, motioning for the sitting man to enter.

"Go on. Normally, I'm not allowed to let you in, but...you seem awfully determined to stay. So I'll make an exception, but only just this once."

Shunsui smiled gratefully at her. "Thank you so much!"

Without so much as another thought, he ran into the room. The sight of his friend lying in the bed, covered in blankets and with medical equipment surrounding him on all sides was terrifying. Jushiro was a proud man - he rarely allowed others to see him falter, even his close friends. Now he was utterly incapacitated and unresponsive in an infirmary bed.

Silently, Shunsui pulled up a chair next to his friend's bed. "I'm not gonna leave you, Jushiro," he whispered. "Even if they try to kick me out, I won't leave. I promise."

Of course, there was no response. Silently, he mulled over the circumstances that had brought them to this moment. It was all his fault, really. He should have been more firm in calling off the match when he saw how weak Jushiro looked. Even worse, he had considered it a good idea to knock the poor guy onto his back.

Damnit. Why had he been so stupid?

"I'm sorry, Jushiro. I...I was such an idiot, and I'm sorry."

"Stop blaming yourself, Shunsui."

His eyes widened at the sound of Jushiro's weak voice speaking ot him.

"You're awake!"

"Yes...I am. Though I can tell I've been asleep for some time."

Shunsui could hear the subtle wheezing behind every word that escaped Ukitake's lips. It was this quiet, nearly imperceptible noise, that kept him from being truly happy that his friend was awake. He knew that things were still bad for the man.

"Say...Shunsui." He was snapped out of his thoughts by Jushiro's voice calling for him. "Beside my bed, there should be a cup of tea. Will you help me sit up so that I can drink it? It's medicine, I think."

Jushiro's voice faded as he struggled to finish his sentence. Regardless, Shunsui carefully placed a hand on the man's back and lifted him up into a sitting position. He'd been lifting Jushiro so much in the past few hours, he was starting to realize that his friend was incredibly light. _Concerningly_ light. Regardless, Jushiro was sitting with little difficulty, so that was something to be happy about, at least.

Quietly, he handed over the steaming cup of tea.

"Shunsui-"

"Jushiro-"

They both stopped, looking at each other in vague amusement.

"Go ahead, Jushiro. Whatever you've got to say, I'll listen."

"It's just that, I...I wanted to thank you. I was being a stubborn fool earlier, and you certainly saved my skin by dragging me here." After taking a few sips of the tea, he set it down beside him. It clearly didn't have a particularly pleasant taste, but Shunsui ignored his friend's disgusted face. Making fun of his friend could come later, he supposed.

"It's no big deal, but will you at least tell me what the hell's going on with you? It's not normal for anyone to just randomly cough up blood."

"You are correct. This particular ailment is unique to me and me alone. It doesn't even have a name, but…"

He breathed a soft sigh. "It will affect me for the rest of my existence."

"Wait, what? There's no- There's no cure? How can you be so sure there never will be? Jushiro, you can't be serious!" Shunsui slammed a hand upon the hospital's bedside table.

"Shunsui. I assure you, I will remain this way for as long as I live. However, I vowed long ago that I wouldn't let my illness stop me from becoming a shinigami. I should hope…" He trailed off for a brief moment, his eyes averting from Shunsui's. "I should hope that this won't change the nature of our relationship."

"The nature of our relationship? What the hell are you talking about?"

"There aren't many people who know about my illness. I keep it a secret because, most often, when people learn of it they are quick to distance themselves. They aren't particularly eager to spend their time around a dying man. If they stay, then they treat me like a fragile being in constant need of protecting. That, I honestly believe, is worse."

"I suppose what I'm asking from you is that you either treat me as you always have, or...do what the others did."

Kyoraku stared at him in stunned silence for a few moments. He could see the way his friend's trembling hands gripped the bedsheets so tightly - this was not an easy thing for him to beg of Shunsui. He had never realized the burden that Ukitake was carrying, nor had he expected to be forced to make such a decision.

Still, his only choice was clear to him.

"I'm not goin' anywhere, Jushiro," he declared, taking hold of the man's shaking hands. All he wanted was for Jushiro's fears to be abated. "I swore it before, and I'll swear it again. I am not leaving you."

Jushiro watched him, his wide eyes slowly filling to the brim with tears. As soon as he noticed this, he bowed his head, but the subtle trembling of his shoulders showed Shunsui what he was trying desperately to hide.

Without a word, he moved himself closer to the bed, his hand gripping Jushiro's even tighter.

"I didn't think you were such a crybaby, Jushiro."

"Hush, Kyoraku. They're tears of joy, so it doesn't matter."

Some hours later, a dark haired, uniform-clad nurse would find herself draping a light blanket over a brown-skinned, sleeping man. As she tucked in her patient - his equally-asleep companion - she would chuckle to find their hands clasped tightly together.


	4. Chapter 4

WOW I COMPLETELY FORGOT TO UPLOAD THIS TO FF. My bad! If you want timely updates, you should probably follow this story on ao3 instead. Anyhow, please enjoy!

This was based on a true story.

* * *

"Say, Ukitake. Do you think I could get out of work if I chopped my own pinkie off?"

"Kyoraku, I dislike doing paperwork just as much as anyone else, but I don't think anyone in their right mind would cut off their own finger just to avoid working. Besides, you get out of doing work just fine with your fingers. There's no need to take such drastic measures."

"Hear me out for a sec. I don't really _need_ my pinkies, right? If anything, they really get in the way of wielding my zanpakuto. So, what's the best solution? Cut them off! Also, my lovely Nanao-chan has been horribly cruel to me lately. She's been standing around outside my office, refusing to let me escape until I've finished with my paperwork. Desperate times call for desperate measures, my dear."

"Yes, but as soon as Unohana-taichou repaired your injuries, Ise-kun would just make you get back to work again."

"So then I would prolong the treatment! I could pretend to pass out or say I'm allergic to healing kido or something. Trust me, this is a sound plan."

"Oh, so it's a plan now?"

"Absolutely! Hm, but...I'll need your help, Jushiro. Your assistance will be absolutely vital, and as my lover and sole confidant, you have no choice but to accept."

Ukitake sighed softly. "I have a feeling this isn't going to end well."

* * *

The pained shout of her captain had Nanao running down the halls before she could even contemplate why he had been crying out in the first place. She frantically opened the door to Kyoraku-taichou's office, a fearful expression upon her face.

"Taichou! What-?!"

She didn't have the chance to ask her question before she realized the answer was right in front of her. Her captain was standing beside a worried Ukitake-taichou with a large piece of cloth draped over his hand. The cloth, which had once been worth quite a bit of money, was covered in the blood of Nanao's taichou.

"Kyoraku-taichou, what happened? What did you do?"

"We can talk about that later, Nanao-chan. Right now I think I really need to go to the fourth. I might faint from blood loss or something."

"Right. I'll take you there. In the meantime, you can explain to me just how you managed to get into this mess."

"Aha, funny story...er, Ukitake, why don't you go ahead and tell Nanao-chan? I've got to save my strength and all." Kyoraku smiled meekly, looking to his best friend.

"Oh- Uh- Sure!" Ukitake-taichou sped up so as to fall into pace with Ise-fukutaichou, who was already hauling her captain out of his office. "So, you see, Kyoraku was jokingly holding a small ball of kido up to his finger, saying that he could probably get out of work if he destroyed it. Then he lost control and, well...it was a mess. Be thankful that you weren't there, Ise-kun."

Nanao turned her head to stare at her captain, looking rather befuddled by what she had heard.

"Really, Taichou? _You_ lost control of a kido? Honestly, only half of me is surprised, but still…"

"Now, now, Nanao-chan. We both know that you're the kido expert here. I am nothing before your great mast- oof!"

He had been interrupted by a swift smack on the head from his assistant.

"You don't have to be a master, but you _are_ a taichou. You should know better."

"I wasn't exactly in my right mind. I've had a bit to drink today, and y'know…"

" _Taichou!_ It's far too early to be drunk!"

Kyoraku flinched and shifted to walk beside Ukitake, who failed to quite realize he was being used as a human shield. "I'm not drunk, Nanao-chan! I've just had some alcohol, and it sort of impaired my motor functions a bit."

"That's more or less drunk, Taichou. Either way, it's unacceptable behavior."

"Relax, Nanao-chan. It's just a pinkie."

Ukitake reached out to flick his forehead. "Don't speak that way to your fukutaichou, it's rude."

"Have some pity, Ukitake! I'm dizzy from blood loss, I'm not thinking straight!"

His friend only smiled. "You brought this upon yourself."

"Ah, so you're leaving me on my own now, are you? What a terrible man you are, Ukitake, and to think I ever loved you!"

Ukitake released another sigh. It would not yet be his final time doing so that evening.

"Don't be so dramatic. I'm only saying that this is your own fault."

"If you two will stop your quarrelling for a moment," Nanao suddenly cut in, "You will find that we're arriving at the fourth division's medical wing."

"So we are," said Kyoraku, tilting his head to stare up at the building. Nanao wanted to chalk it up to her imagination, but she could swear she had seen her taichou smirk at his lover, despite their previous bickering with one another.

"That's good, too, because I think I could pass out any second now."

She didn't visibly react to his words, but if Nanao shoved him into the building with a bit more haste than strictly necessary, neither Kyoraku nor Ukitake mentioned it.

They were lucky to find that the fourth division was hardly busy. Beyond the usual gaggle of eleventh division members, the rooms were more or less empty. A member of the fourth, one whom only Ukitake seemed to recognize, led Kyoraku to an empty room. Ise and Ukitake, meanwhile, were left outside in the small waiting room.

"Kyoraku-taichou is such a fool," Nanao muttered mere moments after they were left alone. Jushiro only chuckled.

It wasn't long before Unohana-taichou herself appeared in the waiting room, a thin smile stretched upon her lips. It seemed far from gracious.

"Ise-fukutaichou. _Ukitake-taichou._ Will you two come with me for a moment? I have some news."

Nanao felt worry creeping up in her chest, but looking to Ukitake-taichou, he seemed to be far more concerned. It was unlike Ukitake to be so clearly worried, even for Kyoraku, and the way Unohana-taichou had said his name...was there something she didn't know about?

The two followed Unohana down a hallway before entering a room on their left. Inside sat Kyroaku Shunsui, an odd expression on his face. Ukitake seemed to wear a similar expression. Immediately growing suspicious, Nanao looked to her taichou's hand. She found it to be intact. There wasn't even a scratch on it.

"Unohana-taichou, I don't understand-"

"I'm sure Kyoraku-san would be more than happy to explain the situation to you," said Unohana. Her voice was kind, but all present knew better than to take that as the truth. Shunsui swallowed thickly, taking a few moments to finally speak.

"I, ah...I lied to you, Nanao-chan. Nothing happened to my finger. I just wanted to get out of doing work."

She stared at her captain, shock and rage intermingling in her expression.

"You- I was really worried about you!"

"Aw, really? You're so sweet, my dear Nanao-chan!"

"Kyoraku-taichou, I am going to-"

She was interrupted by the ever calm voice of Unohana-taichou. "There's someone else who owes you an apology, Ise-fukutaichou."

Her head immediately turned towards Ukitake, who smiled sheepishly. Of course he had been in on it!

"I'm sorry, Ise-kun."

"You're both dead men," Nanao announced. "Especially you, Kyoraku-taichou, but neither of you are exempt."

"Exempt from what?" Kyoraku asked, not bothering to mask his fear. His fukutaichou could be terrifying when she wanted to be. Actually, she was pretty much always terrifying.

"My wrath." Yep. Always terrifying.

Unohana hummed softly, seemingly pleased with Nanao's resolution.

* * *

Kyoraku and Ukitake would find themselves nursing rather painful bumps on their heads as they walked to the Squad 13 barracks.

"You owe me for playing along," Jushiro muttered. "That ended terribly, just as I said it would."

"I'll make it up to you later," said Shunsui with a wink. His lover only let out a deep sigh in return.

"If by that you mean you'll make me a nice cup of tea, I accept."

Shunsui seemed to deflate, but regardless accepted Jushiro's demand. "I guess I owe it to you, huh?"

"Yes, yes you do."

"But what about the other thing?" He asked hopefully.

"...We'll see about that."

* * *

Many thanks for all of your reviews and kind words! Double shoutout to Wenduo, who has reviewed every chapter thus far!

The alternate title to this chapter was _Cut Pinkie Kitchen._


	5. Chapter 5

I'm so sorry this took so long! I've been busy with all sorts of things - finals, conventions, belt testing...aiyaa.

A quick answer to Wenduo's question: Thank you for bringing up the blood thing! I actually meant to mention that in the fic itself, but it completely slipped my mind. In the future I might go back and edit something in. For now, consider it an illusion of sorts. And thank you so much for reviewing every chapter thus far! You're the light of my writing life, dear.

* * *

Jushiro was a slow test taker. Jushiro was, like, the slowest test taker ever. The assessment they were taking was a kido quiz, of all things, and Jushiro was taking forever! He was great at kido, so what was the hold up? Shunsui had finished before him - hell, even some of the worst students in the class had finished before him!

Obviously it was time to take matters into his own hands.

Slowly, and with incredible care, the scraggly-haired student reached out to his friend. He grew closer and closer until his finger met with Jushiro's shoulder. The shinigami-in-training immediately startled, practically jumping out of his chair before turning to Shunsui with a glare that could strike fear into the hearts of even the strongest men. But not Shunsui, _he_ only shot a bright grin towards his friend.

"Wow, Jushiro. You're awfully jumpy today, huh?"

His friend's eyes only narrowed further. "I was concentrating, Shunsui."

"I'm bored," Shunsui whined softly. He made sure to keep his voice at a whisper, though. "Why are you always so slow? You're great at kido, this should be nothin'!"

"I'm taking my time. Don't tell me you've already finished?"

"I finished in around five minutes."

"What- You-" Jushiro stared incredulously at his friend. "How?"

Shunsui only shrugged. "What can I say? I'm gifted."

His pale friend only buried his face in his hands. "I cannot believe you…"

"Hush, Jushiro. If Tsukuda-sensei hears you he's gonna kick us both out."

"You're the one who started talking to me!" He whispered sharply.

"You're the one who answered," Shunsui retorted, utterly relaxed - he was the exact opposite of his friend, really. Jushiro only sighed and returned to the quiz, choosing to ignore his friend for the time being.

It didn't take long for Shunsui to start bugging him once again. Jushiro found himself growing steadily more irritated by his friend's antics - his love for poking his side, in particular.

"Can you not wait just a few more minutes?"

"You're taking too long," Shunsui muttered. "Seriously, 'Shiro, a simple kido quiz shouldn't take this long."

"I'm taking my time! If you bother me one more time, I swear I'll-"

"-Uh, Jushiro, you..."

"Don't interrupt me, please!"

"...You're talking really loud. Like, so loud that sensei has heard you."

"...Oh."

"I, for one, plan to blame this on you."

Jushiro stared incredulously at his friend. "Me? This is your fault, Shunsui!"

"Maybe so. But if I go down, I'm taking you with me."

"Both of you may kindly remove yourselves from my classroom," Commanded a booming voice from the head of the room. Immediately, all heads turned to Shunsui and Jushiro.

"Well? What are you waiting for?"

Their sensei's threatening tone was more than enough to spur the two students into action. Shunsui was the first to stand up with Jushiro following quickly after him, and as they walked, Shunsui caught sight of his friend passing his test over to the teacher.

-Wait, was he finished?

Shunsui stepped out into the hallway with Jushiro following close behind. The moment the sliding door was closed, he reached out to grasp his friend's thin shoulders.

"You mean you were done the whole time!?"

Jushiro only smiled and shrugged.

"I wouldn't say that, exactly. I was looking over my answers."

"For how long?"

"Oh, I don't know...I recall finishing around the same time as you."

"You have got to be kidding me! Were you just trying to torture me? I was so bored!" Shunsui shook his friend, a desperate look on his face, one that Jushiro found to be rather silly. He was making this out to be a much bigger deal than it really was.

"You'll live," he answered with a smile.

"Aah, you have no sympathy! No pity! You're a cruel man, Ukitake Jushiro!"

"I know, I know. I'm terrible. Now, how are you going to take responsibility for getting me in trouble, Kyoraku Shunsui?"

"Getting you in trouble? You're the one who suddenly started shouting!"

"Because _you_ were bugging me!"

"You're being so mean today, Jushiro. Can't we just be mature and forget about all of this?"

"You're only saying that because you know I'm right!" Jushiro crossed his arms, looking more than a little peeved. "If you don't do something, he's going to fail us both!"

"Talk to Tsukuda-sensei," demanded the white-haired student crossly. "Or...or...I don't know! I won't forgive you!"

Jushiro was halfway down the hallway before Shunsui could get a word in edgewise. His friend rarely got mad like this, so he supposed he would have to try extra hard to make it up to him. But what to do…?

Well, there was only one thing he really _could_ do.

* * *

Later that evening, Shunsui would find his friend sulking in the academy yard. It hadn't been too difficult to find the grumpy guy - Jushiro was a surprisingly predictable person, at times. Whenever he was angry he would go to the nearest place that was peaceful and had a lot of trees. In this case, it was the Shino'o Academy courtyard. There were lots of trees to sit under the pleasant shade of, and that was exactly where he found Jushiro the moment he exited the building into the darkening outdoors.

"Yo, 'Shiro!" He greeted, waving erratically. He didn't doubt that his friend was still angry with him, but he was content to ignore that little fact for the time being.

"Ah...Shunsui."

Yep, Jushiro was definitely still mad. But Shunsui wasn't worried - not in the slightest. He had prepared himself.

"So," he began as he took a seat next to his green-eyed companion. "Y'know how I'm your _best_ friend?"

All he got was a quiet "Hm,". Jushiro was hardly even looking at him, let alone listening! Well, he would just have to escalate his little speech, then!

"Well, since I'm such a great best friend, I talked to Tsukuda-sensei after classes were done. He said he wouldn't dock you any points or anything."

"Oh...good." Jushiro gave a small nod. He hadn't been totally forgiven, but he was making definite progress. Now he just had to take 'er home. But what else could he offer to gain his friend's forgiveness?

"...And I'll do your homework for a week?"

"Make it two weeks."

"Two weeks it is!"

After a moment of deliberation, Jushiro turned to his friend with a gentle smile.

"You are forgiven."

Ecstatic, Shunsui wrapped his arms around the man.

"I knew you would forgive me! It's because of my incredible charm, right? My ruggedly handsome face? That's what it is, isn't it!?"

Jushiro chuckled. "Maybe so. Or maybe because you're...well, such a great best friend."

The sincerity of his words took a few moments to sink in. Shunsui found his eyes widening and his grin spreading.

"Aw, 'Shiro! You're so cute! I think you're a great best friend too!"

Jushiro would find himself being crushed in a hug once again. As he wrapped his arms around Shunsui in a much gentler reciprocation, he realized something.

There was no place he would have rather been at that very moment than in Shunsui's arms.


End file.
